Noel Fielding, Mighty Boosh

Noel Fielding, Mighty Boosh
Originally uploaded by www.andyfallon.co.uk

Here's the man I love.

Let's play!

Having a bit of fun with the Customize button on my blog. I changed the background to pale green (my favourite colour) Love the way I can change the look to anything. Trouble is, I'm enjoying this way too much and am conscious that this is not really "work". "If you're not having fun, you must be at work", saith the prophet Lynners. Have successfully joined Ning (will they call it Nong when it goes pay-for?) and Facebook. I wanted to upload a video from You-tube to my blog, (Noel Fielding doing his take on Blue song, search for Mint royale promo and you'll get it - he's my current crush) but have to get a Windows ID first seems. So I'll do this some other time.

Social networking, photos and images

Today I started the social networking module, but doubt if I will finish it. Some of the things, like Ning, I've never ever heard of. Ning is also about to cease being free so probably there is no point in joining it. I seemed to spend a lot of time signing into accounts in order to use the social networks, and tried to remove my email address from Facebook unsuccessfully. I'm just a bit confused, but I'm not really interested in social networking anyway. People know me or they don't, and I'm not interested in exposing myself worldwide to "friends".

I love Flikr though, and had no trouble posting a couple of photos to my blog. Interesting that you have to sign up with Yahoo first, even though Flikr supports Blogspot. What a maze it all is, sign up with Google, sign up with Yahoo, sign up for Bloglines etc, etc. I used The commons and Creative commons so that I didn't have the problem of adding another step and editing copyrighted material. I would like to go into the customize option for my blog, but feel I have spent enough time on it today. I think setting up a blog gives you quite a lot of learning opportunities, and you certainly feel more motivated to learn something when you are interested in the subject.

Now I'll go and have some afternoon tea.

The light dawns (partially)

I find it really valuable to have a tutor available for these sessions. It's so easy for me to get lost in cyberia. Today Alice talked me through the podcast bit of the RSS/podcasts module which I was having trouble with. The thing is to read through the screen - usually what you need is there on some tab or clicky-point. Added a podcast for Harry Potter fans (not that I am one, just used it as an example) and guess what? advertisements on the podcast. I guess it was inevitable that this would happen, it's like the aural version of those irritating flashing adverts telling you that yes! you have won a prize! So - lesson 1 - take time to read the screen.
I feel I am learning things, but worry that The Knowledge will not stay with me.
Interesting group discussion about social networking, that anyone can say what they like about you on their own website. This is a little worrying, thinking about people who hate me that could add untruths and half-truths to the story of my life. It's like the social control function of village gossip, but now the village is the whole world.

The computer still says no.

Well, it's not really been a good day for me. I've obviously got a burble in my brain, because today everything seems as clear as mud. I tried to add RSS feeds to my Blogread (or whatever) account once I had set it up, but couldn't work out how to access them again. Didn't get very far with the whole exercise, didn't get onto podcasts etc. The whole thing seems so bloody complex, so many sites to subscribe to, so many ways of subscribing. If I had world enough and time....I think one of the curses of the modern world is too much choice. One of my colleagues is contemplating buying a vacuum cleaner, but which one? There are about 30 models on the market, from $199.00 for a a really not very sucky one that will last a few years, to a vacuum that costs $1,999.00 and will last a few years. Another colleague remarked that for that price you could fly to somewhere nice and forget about vacuuming for a week or so. Again, another choice - between pleasure and duty. Should you emulate the cricket and sing merrily a day before hurtling into oblivion, or should you be an industrious and dutiful ant, and work work work for the good of the colony before hurtling into oblivion? You choose,dude. Ciao.

The computer says no.

Had to give up on my Friday session, as I don't know how to cut and paste the URL into a browser. I have identified this as one of the main trends of my ignorance of computers - I often do not know how to do very simple things that it is assumed by tutorials that I know. as I don't use a computer at home, some of the really basic stuff is unknown to me. It's like being expected to climb Mount Everest when I still don't know how to put one foot in front of the other. Hopefully, I can get some help during the week. My tutor is away today but I hope she will be here on Wednesday when I get my two hours off desk to do my essential tasks.

The blogging is going fine though, partly because I love writing anyway, partly because the blogger site is really easy to use. The whole blogging phenomenon has given everyone permission to put themselves out in public. It is quite egocentric, really; we all feel we have something unique to say that others will want to read. How misguided we are.

Books are now published not because of sending a manuscript to a publisher, but because they have been initiated as a successful blog. "Julie and Julia" is one, another is a book I am reading at the moment "Living Oprah" about a woman who tries to live according to the dictates of Oprah Winfrey. (Perhaps a thousand years from now there will be a Gospel according to St Oprah. It will be on the virtual bookshelf with the Gospel of St Elvis Presley, and the writings of the United Church of The Lady of Gaga.)

At the marae

Yesterday I did something for the first time. I was part of a group from Christchurch City Libraries to visit Rehua Marae, here in Christchurch/Otautahi. We had several sessions of instruction from Ben and Nicole on marae protocol before we went so hopefully we would not embarrass ourselves in front of the tangata whenua. One of the most important things was to learn our individual pepeha, which is a kind of formal introduction from the individual to the group, explaining where you come from, your tribe, your parents and your waka.

I was quite apprehensive about this, but managed it, even though my voice threatened to disappear, and I croaked my way through my pepeha. After the formal part, we had fun with stick dances and poi. I cannot do poi, and based on my truly inept performance, no one is going to be inviting me to a kapa haka group anytime soon. At least the ancestors will have had a good laugh.

At the end of the visit we had a group photo taken outside the wharenui, and a very charming ginger cat arrived and accompanied us out to the gate. Many thanks to Ben, Nicole, Haneta, and the people of Rehua Marae, and also to our rangatira for the day, Kelly, who coped brilliantly with the realization that he now had thirteen "wives" to protect and represent.

It's me again.

I've just finished (I think) my week one of the programme. It has been quite straightforward, with no technical hitches to confuse me. What I am a little confused about is the time commitment parameters on the inside cover of the booklet. Is this for each week, or over the whole course? Is the personal time component paid or unpaid? (You can see what a mercenary little cow I am).

I think the important thing for me, and I have it written down as one of my goals, is to get a sort of mind-map the digital world. I need to know what things are and what they do and how they can be used to advantage. Having written this is looks like a tall order! However, I am sure that at the end of this course, I will know more than I know now, which is pretty infinitesimal really.

My situation now is comparable to people who didn't have TV in the 1960's. It is becoming more socially exclusive not to know anything about technology - you just don't know what people are talking about, so cannot join or initiate conversation. People's conversation sounds like "I've just bought a Wongly-doohicky with a whacking great mibbly-poop, but I find the thring-thring isn't quite ooha with the nubblebum". Hopefully, things may become clearer for me after this course.

PS. First day again.

It's me again. tes! I've managed to get back into my blog and add this PS. The blog can only be edited via LAMS it seems, as the blogspot.com only seems to be read only.

First day

So many choices! What sort of blog-format, what blog-name, what colour blog-background? Are these set in stone forever? Will I be cursed forever with my poor choices made today, as an absoulute rookie with no knowledge whatsoever? Is this an emblem of life itself, make a poor choice now and be doomed for all eternity? Oh dear, such serious thoughts so early in the day. If only I can find a way to approach this as a child does, with a sense of playfulness and "let's see what will happen-ness". Happen-ness= happiness. There is a tab at the top saying "Monetize". Does this mean that if I press this tab wads of cash will fall from a trap-door in the ceiling?

It's autumn here in the city, and the city looks great. I love autumn, great piles of leaves to crunch through, that sweet clear smell of frosty mornings. Yesterday I went to an exhibition of Ngai Tahu art at the old art gallery, one of my favourite buildings, and one that has been closed now for some time, so it was pure pleasure to revisit it. The weaving on display was wonderful, one waist-mat so fine it was hard to believe it had been woven by a human woman. As I was looking at the wall of portraits of Ngai Tahu people, a young woman came in and asked me if I was related to any of the people depicted. No, I said, unfortunately not. "Well, I'm related to most of them', she replied, "and now I'm off to the library to do some more research about them." So who said no one uses libraries?